The House on Jefferson Avenue (Eddie Biggins)

We’d crunch down the gravel driveway and head around the back ‘Cause family never used the front door The screen door slapped shut as we stepped into that bright kitchen That took up nearly half the first floor And Nana peeked out from the pantry And Grandpa smiled in welcome too So we’d know we were a part Of the family at the heart Of the house on Jefferson Avenue

Our Nana would serve us drinks in Welch’s jelly jars With the Beatles or the Flintstones on the side If the weather was good then we’d run out into the back yard And take that magic glider for a ride And Mom would yell, “Don’t go so high now If you flew off what would you do?” And though she probably was right We’d already taken flight At the house on Jefferson Avenue

There was a music box with a geisha doll on top Delicately turning in the den Now every time that I hear “Für Elise” I’m right back there again

Our Grandpa would tell us stories about the “olden days” Half-invented, half-remembered from his past We smiled and we laughed as we sat talking on the front porch And watched the cars that whooshed by too fast And not unlike that rush of traffic That now and then came speeding through All the hours that we spent All too quickly came and went In the house on Jefferson Avenue

We’d play with dominoes, line ‘em up then knock ‘em down Then line ‘em up again for one more try Until it came to the worst part of the day The time to say goodbye

When Grandpa passed on the house was all cleared out and sold To pay for Nana’s nursing home care But now she’s gone too and that house holds some other family Creating their own memories there I wish my son could know the pleasure Of a treasured time that I once knew For I’d love a glider ride Wife and son there at my side At the house on Jefferson Avenue

#singersongwriter #SalemMA #Massachusetts